Australian news and politics recap March 24: Teal MP Monique Ryan’s husband allegedly takes down rival’s sign

This concludes our live news and politics coverage for the day.

Scroll back through for updates on Albo’s Budget announcements, controversy over a Teal MP’s husband stealing a rival’s campaign sign and more.

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Labor on Tuesday will aim to sell its cost-of-living narrative to voters with a rare fourth Federal Budget that will set the course for an election campaign that may kick off as early as this weekend.

With the spotlight firmly on the nation’s Parliament, the highly orchestrated presentation of the Budget is traditionally the Treasurer’s moment to shine, and that role is unlikely to pass to the Prime Minister even though Australia is on the cusp of the poll.

The exact timing of Anthony Albanese’s election call may hang on how well Labor’s economic story lands this week and the robustness of the Opposition’s Budget response.

On Monday, speculation ran through the parliament’s corridors that the Prime Minister could head to the governor-general’s house as early as Friday to trigger a poll for May 3 or May 10 if he believes the Government now has the upper hand.

The task will fall to Treasurer Jim Chalmers, who has a reputation as the Government’s best communicator, to use his platform this week to spruik a Labor’s spendathon to ease pressures on households while showcasing the party’s credentials as a responsible manager of the national purse strings.

Read the full report here.

Tune in to The Nightly’s latest podcast - News Worthy.

No matter where you are in Australia, News Worthy has got you covered. Join host Ben O’Shea as he gets fired up about the news of the day followed by a national roundup of the top story from each state.

In today’s episode, O’Shea reveals how a Melbourne MP’s hubby put the TEAL in STEAL. Plus, we preview the Federal Budget and why it could be make or break for the Albanese Government, and unpack why Albo and Peter Dutton are on the nose with women voters.

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A trade war with the US has turned around the fortunes of Canada’s left-wing government, which faces an election just weeks before Australia goes to the polls.

Three months ago, the 45-year-old leader of Canada’s Conservative Party, Pierre Poilievre, looked like he was cruising into power over a demoralised and discredited left-wing government.

A snap election was called on Sunday. Surveys now suggest Mr Poilievre could lose thanks to a politician he admires and whose values he shares: Presidential Donald Trump.

To be held on April 28 — likely a week or two before Australia’s - the Canadian poll could be an unwelcome portent for Peter Dutton, another conservative populist with a Trump-like hostility to immigration, the public service and progressive politics. Mr Dutton last week promised to make a visit to Washington a top foreign priority if he becomes Prime Minister.

The Trump presidency has transformed Canadian politics. Within three weeks of taking power Mr Trump suggested America’s neighbour become the 51st US state. “They’re not viable as a country,” he said.

Initially considered a joke or a negotiating tactic, a sense that Mr Trump might be serious, and the heavy tariffs he imposed on Canadian goods, turned Canadian relations with the US from an afterthought into the leading campaign issue.

Read the full report here.

Continuing off topic, the Prime Minister was also asked to comment about allegations the South Sydney Rabbitoh’s mascot Reggie the Rabbit pushed a nine-year-old at Shark Park.

However, he did take the time to say that he had known Charlie Gallico, the man in the mascot costume, since the 1990s when he was a director on the board of the Rabbitohs.

He described the now 81-year-old as “a lovely fella” and “a very gentle person”.

“He has been doing it for a long time and he would never try to hurt anyone,” Mr Albanese said.

“I’m sure if there has been inappropriate behaviour, he would be the first to apologise.”

He also noted that Mr Gallico was “a very small man” and in the past he had been pushed around by people not realising it was an elderly man in the costume, even ending up in hospital in one instance.

“I have seen nine-year-old’s bigger than Charlie,” Mr Albanese said.

When questioned about campaign sign controversy sparked ahead of the Federal election by Teal MP Monique Ryan’s husband Peter Jordan, Mr Albanese simply had “no idea” what reporters were talking about.

Video footage of Mr Jordan was shared online of him allegedly removing Liberal MP Amelia Hamer’s campaign sign from a fence, sparking backlash amongst the community earlier today.

But Mr Albanese had more important things to worry about.

“I have no idea who Monique Ryan’s husband is,” he replied, confused, before getting defensive about the purpose of the press conference.

“So, on a day where we have a $16.5b national education announcement I am asked about someone’s husband removing a Liberal Party sign on a road somewhere!

“Can I ask if this has any connection whatsoever with anyone in the Labor Party, with this alleged event of which I did not know? No. Well, there’s your answer.”

In relation to the tragic methanol poisoning deaths of Melbourne teenagers, Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones in November last year, Mr Albanese said the Government was “ramping up” its ad campaigns to keep Aussie travellers safe.

“Firstly, I’d say to the family and friends of Holly and Bianca, who lost their lives so tragically, my heart goes out to their family and to their communities and to their friends,” he said.

“This was a tragedy that should not have happened and one of the things we’re doing is ramping up our advertising campaign to increase awareness of the alcohol related risks of overseas travel.”

He added it was common knowledge Australians loved to travel, and the Government’s campaign was all about educating young travellers.

“We are one of the great travelling populations .... but it needs to be made safe,” he said.

“This campaign funded by the Federal Government is about doing that, is about making sure that young Australians who travel overseas are aware of the risk.”

Backing up today’s education announcements, Mr Albanese said schools will be fully funded for the first time right throughout Australia.

“Victoria earlier on had signed up to our schools funding agreement, we now have every state and territory signed up in our $16.5 billion of improved funding, to make sure that every child gets the best opportunity in life,” he said.

“I thank the Allan government for signing up very early to that schools funding agreement, to see increased funding between now and 2034.”

“It’s an important one, it will make a difference.”

Ahead of the Federal Budget the Prime Minister has spoken, spruiking the Government’s commitment to a $1.2 billion suburban roads blitz for Victoria.

“We want to make sure that Victoria and Melbourne’s growing suburbs get support,” Anthony Albanese said on Monday.

“That’s why this weekend we’ve had the minister out there announcing support for regional roads funding, to deal with level crossings. That’s why today, as part of our $1.2 billion suburban roads blitz, here in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, we are making these commitments to make a difference so that productivity can increase, so that people can spend more time at home with their family and their kids, rather than stuck in traffic.”

He added an important project was a $125 million upgrade to the Donnybrook Road and Mitchell Street intersection.

“It is part of making sure that we keep up with this growing community,” he said.

“The project will transform the current roundabout I’ve just been through, delivering additional lanes, a fully signalised intersection and a new bridge over the creek here.

“So, this is an important project. It will deliver jobs in the short term, but importantly deliver an improved quality of life.”

Mr Albanese added it’s part of the substantial infrastructure commitments that Labor will have in tomorrow evening’s budget.

“A Budget that will continue to have responsible economic management whilst making a difference, providing cost of living relief, and always having one eye on the future.”

The Government will bring forward $1 billion in defence spending to boost Australia’s military capability, amid growing calls by experts and the Trump Administration for a substantial boost.

Defence Minister Richard Marles on Monday confirmed Tuesday’s budget would show a $10.6 billion increase in defence funding over the next four years, with $9.6bn of that already announced.

“Part of the $10.6bn sees the bringing forward of an additional $1bn, and that’s because of the need to accelerate Australia’s capability development,” he said at the Avalon Airshow.

“(This funding increase) is the most significant increase in defence spending in peacetime Australia since the end of the Second World War.”

He said the additional $1bn will go towards improving Perth’s HMAS Stirling naval base for the upcoming rotation of US submarines, per the AUKUS agreement, progressing the guided weapons enterprise plan and speeding up the purchase of new general purpose frigates.

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